Speculative Fiction—an all-encompassing genre created to describe stories of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and other stories that have an element of “What if...” in them. A story in speculative fiction is one that adds an element of the unreal, or asks, what would become of our society if history took a different direction at some important event? Fiction with a little something extra thrown in.—William D. Richards

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Saturday, June 17, 2017

Interview with Jennifer Rainey, author of The Last Temptations of Iago Wick

The latest person to kindly answer our fiendish interview questions is Jennifer Rainey, author of The Last Temptations of Iago Wick, a novel about a retired demon, and the forthcoming novella, Iago Wick and the Vampire Queen, a prequel.

In your author biography on Amazon, you
describe yourself as a sometimes-author, sometimes folk-singer. Tell us a
little about the folk-singing. Does it influence your writing?

Absolutely! I’ve been performing as a folk
singer since I was about 18 years old, and when you’re a singer, you’re a
storyteller. It’s your duty to add the words and extra emotion to the story
that the instrumentalists are already telling, particularly when you’re singing
folk music. It’s a genre of music that really focuses on storytelling. That
emotion absolutely transfers to writing.

Your novel is called The Last Temptations
of Iago Wick and the protagonist is a demon on the verge of retirement. Usually
demons get to be bad guys who get zapped at the denouement. What made you
choose one as your hero?

I have always loved demons. I think there’s so
much to work with there. You have this creature that is, perhaps, supposed to
be allegiant to Hell and to Lucifer… and then you think, “But what if they’re
not? What if they want to go against their nature?” I think they make excellent
anti-heroes, they’re so engaging and fabulously flawed. Iago is definitely
caught in that internal struggle—he wants to be true to himself but convention
says he’s supposed to bow down to Hell. It’s really about the idea of freewill,
of integrity. He has something of a moral code. These are things that are
valuable to Iago, and he’s starting to question in this book if his dedication
to Hell is standing in the way.

Iago Wick is a lovely name, and so is Dante
Lovelace. What do their names tell us about their characters?

First off, thank you! Iago, of course, comes
from Shakespeare’s great villain in Othello. In that play, the character of
Iago is constantly playing characters against each other in his quest to bring
down Othello, and my Iago (while not quite as evil) does that, as well. He’s
always tempting humans to do things which will lead to their damnation. His
surname, Wick, comes from two things: a) it stems from the word “wicked” and b)
it’s like a candle wick, a small flame which, if given the chance to grow, can
destroy or corrupt. Dante Lovelace is Iago’s partner, and his name is a bit
simpler. Dante is a demon who creates catastrophe and disaster for humans
(think shipwrecks and fires). He’s a very Gothic and Byronic character, so I
wanted a name with a dark sort of beauty to it, something almost a little over
the top!

Are there elements of humour in your writing,
as well as terror and mystery?

Absolutely! I love injecting my writing with a
little humor. I value that as a reader, and so, as a writer, I’ve always tried
to add a certain amount of wit.

Your writing sounds as if it’s firmly rooted
in a particular place and era. Is that correct?

Yes and no. I’ve always LOVED history,
particularly the late 19th century. When I was about 11, I started
reading the Sherlock Holmes stories, and I’ve never looked back. So, The
Lovelace & Wick Series takes place around the turn of the 20th
century. However, I also love adding steampunk elements and enough ambiguity
that the reader isn’t one hundred percent certain when the book takes place! I
think that sense of timelessness is really cool.

What about your forthcoming novella, Iago
Wick and The Vampire Queen? You say there are cyborgs, which suggests there may
be steampunk elements.

Definitely! The Last Temptations of Iago Wick
has some steampunk elements, but this novella really steps it up. The whole
series will feature a lot of steampunk-inspired details. I won’t tell you too
much about the cyborgs, but they end up being really creepy!

In your world, do vampires and demons hit it
off?

Oh, absolutely not, haha! There’s a lot of
animosity there!

Please tell us more about your Pinterest
addiction.

I LOVE Pinterest. I’m one of those people who
gets obsessed with a certain aesthetic, especially as it relates to my writing.
So, the Pinterest board for Lovelace & Wick has a lot of Victoriana and
Gothic imagery and Steampunk gadgetry. It’s a great way to jumpstart that
inspiration when you’re feeling like you’re in a little bit of a rut. (Also,
recipes. There are sooo many recipes. Mr. Wick is very fond of cake, and
Pinterest offers no shortage of cake.)

What are you planning next for Wick and
Lovelace?

Currently, I’m working on the second book, Binding Dante Lovelace, which sees Dante
and Iago joining forces with a witch (rather against their will). This book
will have a lot adventure, a lot of magic, and some Lovecraftian elements, as
well. There’s also another novella/short story which will probably be out in
the next year. These demons have quite a lot to say, and I’m very happy to keep
telling their story.

I couldn’t help noticing you attended the
Ohio Bigfoot Conference. Are you a fan of Forteana and indeed Cryptozoology?

YES! I think it’s so fascinating. The Ohio
Bigfoot Conference is a great event, too. Awesome speakers and a great
atmosphere.

Why is America such a rich source of
mythology for horror, the uncanny and folklore generally?

I can’t help but think of American Gods. I
think it’s because there are so many cultures crashing into each other in this
country. There are so many different stories and mythologies that have become a
part of our culture as a whole. It’s really astounding, and it’s definitely
something to be celebrated. I love seeing what different authors do with
American folklore; it’s fascinating.

Do you have any pets? Do they influence
your writing?

I have four cats. They’re excellent at sitting
on the keyboard while I’m trying to write, but also, there is a cat in Binding Dante Lovelace who is based on
my cat, Bellamy. So, she’ll be immortalized once that book is published!
(She’ll be tickled; she thinks very highly of herself.)

Would you choose tea, coffee, or something
different?

Tea! Always tea. I do like coffee, but that’s
an office drink for me. I drink that at work. If I’m writing, it better be tea!

Who do you consider are your major
influences in writing?

Definitely Terry Pratchett. He’s a huge
influence, as is Ray Bradbury. Recently, I’ve been drawing a lot from HP
Lovecraft’s brand of horror, as well.

On a scale of 1-10, how eccentric are you?

Oh, 10. Absolutely 10. The décor theme in my
bathroom is Psycho (yes, the movie—I like to make my guests extremely
uncomfortable), and I collect mid-century matador memorabilia. I go ghost
hunting in my spare time, and I talk to my cats. I might even be at an 11.

About Jennifer Rainey:

Jennifer
Rainey is a sometimes-author, sometimes-folk singer from Central Ohio who has
always had a love for fantasy, history, and the paranormal. She is woefully
dependent upon tea and simply cannot drive past an antique mall without stopping.

Ms. Rainey--having confronted, befriended, and
frequently dined with her own demons--is very fond of writing about other
demons. She's currently writing the tales of Mr. Lovelace and Mr. Wick and
hopes you enjoy reading of their adventures.

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We are a blog about all things indie science fiction, fantasy and horror. Read interviews with and guest posts by spec fic writers and keep current on news from the SFF world and the latest spec-fic releases.